Tuesday, August 7, 2012

“‘Why go naked?’ It is about feeling relaxed, comfortable and free. Imagine walking on a glorious sunny day, wild flowers in full bloom, the alluring green of the South Downs, and the pleasure of the company of like minded people. Reason enough for many to walk in the countryside, but walking without the encumbrance of clothes enhances the experience many times over. ‘Why be a naturist, why go naked?’ is really the wrong question. The real question is, ‘Why not?’ What really stops you?” – The Thoughtful Naturist
We were all born naked; this is a simple truth.
So what happened after that? Why are we so concerned about nudity? It all starts with what we mean when we think and talk about nudity. Nude is simply not wearing clothes, but as Jenny Harper points out, the concept carries others meanings:
“When we use the term ‘naked’, we are referring to being deprived of clothes. It’s a word that almost generates embarrassment of such a condition. We regularly speak of ‘the naked truth’ and ‘the naked soul’, which suggests that nakedness is not just a physical state but a spiritual and psychological one. The word ‘nude’, on the other hand, carries no uncomfortable overtone. The image it projects is not of a defenseless body, but of a confident body.”
So I’ll begin with a few definitions to reduce misunderstanding and confusion from the start.
Nudism is the ‘practice’ of not wearing clothing. Don’t read more into it than that. Nudists are people who enjoy doing things common to daily life without wearing clothes. They are normal people who like the feeling of the sun and wind on their skin and the freedom to be content with themselves without shame or fear. Nudists believe that the human body is not bad, ugly, or illegal. They enjoy being naked when it is natural, but have common sense so don’t demand nakedness everywhere, anytime, but only when it feels natural and practical. Nudists don't go naked to offend or provoke. They only shed their clothes when it’s convenient and comfortable. They simply enjoy the world at its most natural by experiencing life naked.
To be considered a nudist requires no minimum or maximum level of participation in social nudity and it’s really more a mental attitude about the body anyway, so many of its benefits can be derived without ever taking off a stitch of clothing.
‘True’ nudists are not exhibitionists, voyeurs, swingers, or perverts of any kind, so are not interested in seeing others naked, being seen naked, or making nudity sexual. For a nudist, nakedness is not about seeing or sex; it’s about being.
The terms Naturism and Naturist are often used interchangeably with the terms Nudism and Nudist, though Naturism also implies more than just taking off clothing for recreation. It’s more of a life philosophy concerned with respect for self, for others, and for the environment, with physical, psychological, environmental, social, and moral benefits. I prefer the term naturist over nudist because it promotes and promulgates a larger, more inclusive worldview, and not just the idea of getting naked for recreation. (So I will mostly use the terms ‘naturist’ and ‘naturism’ from now on.)
It’s very important to understand that naturism is not sexual. (I will discuss this in more detail later.) Rather, it’s a totally moral, chaste, and safe life philosophy. It’s not a religion; it is practiced by people of all religious persuasions whether they are Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Wiccan, Pagan - and yes there are even Muslim and Mormon naturists! Naturism may be seen as ‘sinful’ by conservative people who misunderstand and think it is immodest, feeling that naturists are obsessed by evil, but this is untrue.
Some people are drawn to naturism more than others and may therefore need it more to be right with themselves. But people are no more obsessed with naturism than they are with being clothed – in fact, they are perhaps less obsessed than ‘textiles’ who demand that ‘everyone’ always be clothed, or else.
It’s wrong to be ‘obsessed’ with the sexual aspects of nakedness, and this type of obsessed person is certainly not a naturist. Some examples follow:
Voyeurs are accused of being addicted to pornography because they get perverse sexual pleasure from seeking out and looking at naked or scantily dressed people and photos. Gawkers, a unique category of voyeur, might sit with binoculars above any beach watching the people below. Gawkers may even get nude on a beach and sit near other naked people to get a close-up view, and often use a cell phone to take photographs. Voyeurs and Gawkers are NOT naturists. In fact, they may get ‘turned on’ even more by sexy clothing than by nakedness, and are seldom nude while practicing voyeurism.
Exhibitionists or Flashers get excitement and perverse sexual pleasure from showing parts of their bodies to shock others. Exhibitionism does not occur in naturism because exhibitionists find no thrill in places that lack overt sexuality; naturists are not shocked by nudity. Exhibitionists may be people who are trying to come to terms with naturism in the wrong way, but they are definitely NOT naturists yet.
In naturist environments exhibitionists are as unwanted as in the rest of society, so people who cannot control their ‘inner exhibitionist’ will not be tolerated because true naturists do not get naked to be seen, to shock people, or to experience sexual pleasure. Naturists just like being nude. If they like to be with others, it's because humans are social creatures.
Swingers use nudity to find sexual partners other than their spouse. Sex is the main goal for swingers, not being nude, and because nudity might inhibit sexuality, swingers often prefer sexually alluring clothing to total nudity. Swingers are definitely NOT naturists, at least when swinging.
Pornists use nudity as a sexual lure to attract people and make money. This group includes strippers, prostitutes, pornographers, and the like. Even some art, fashion, marketing, and media types become pornists at times. These people are NOT naturists. They are only interested in nudity because of the money it produces – sex sells.
One might wonder if voyeurs, exhibitionists, swingers, pornists, and the like can be considered nudists when they are simply relaxing without clothes. Perhaps yes, if the reason for being naked is truly ‘not’ about sex. Naturism and sexual activities are totally separate, so it’s as possible for a swinger to also be a naturist as it is for an evangelical Christian. But, since practicing naturism disconnects the ‘naked equals sex’ mind-set, it is essentially impossible for those focused on sex to be naturists who by definition don’t focus on sex.
So, don’t make the mistake of lumping this less-than-wholesome crowd with naturism. Exhibitionists are NOT naturists; they are motivated to show their skin for sexual thrills. Voyeurs and those caught up with porn are NOT naturists; they just want to see skin for sexual stimulation. Swingers are NOT naturists; they are motivated by sexual conquest. Pornists like strippers and those involved in sexually-oriented photography and marketing are NOT naturists; they are making money selling sexual fantasy. In contrast, real naturists enjoy naturism for the natural simplicity and sense of freedom it brings them, ‘free’ from sexuality.
Finally, perhaps the most common category of people to consider is Textiles. These people may be so obsessed with wearing clothing that they are uncomfortable being nude around anyone, even with a spouse, or in a group shower, or with a doctor. Not only that, but textiles moralistically demand that everyone conform to their clothes-obsessed attitude, seeing nakedness as sexual and perverted. They don’t even realize that they are actually more obsessed with clothing, nakedness, and sex than naturists. They are just the flip-side of the same unwholesome, sexually-oriented coinage as voyeurs, flashers, swingers, and the sex-for-pay crowd, who think nudity and imagine sex.
One of the very best aspects of naturism is that it tends to cure people, at least those who want to be cured, from negative sexual obsessions surrounding voyeurism, exhibitionism, swinging, and pornism. Even obsessed textiles who try naturism can be cured. Using nudity as a cure for sexual obsession may seem counterintuitive, but I know this to be true from experience. In the past I was plagued to some degree with voyeurism, exhibitionism, and pornography. Learning about and practicing naturism totally cured me, but more about that later.
I understand you may think naturism to be ‘quirky,’ because it is; it must be to correct an even ‘quirkier,’ worldly body attitude. But as ‘quirky’ as naturism seems, it turns out that one is in good company as a naturist.
“Nudism is an expression of freedom and to be nude is to be totally free. Nudism embraces the joy of living in a comfortable, healthy, and natural way.” - Inudist
“Being naked does not a naturist make. Being a naturist is a life view with nudity as a connection to humanity and nature.” - The Naturist Review
“Naturism is a philosophy of life. It’s a way of thinking, acting, and looking at the rest of the world. We are fostering respect for self, for others, and for the environment. . . naturism is a lot more than just taking your clothes off. It is a life philosophy with physical, psychological, environmental, social and moral benefits. People join naturist clubs because they want to find a better way.” – Stéphane Deschênes
“I am a ‘Christian naturist’, so to me, naturism is about being able to live as God intended, ‘naked (nude) and unashamed’. It is about allowing our bodies to interact with our environments as they were ‘designed’, not filtered and suffocated through some man-made vestiges apart from the need for protection from the elements such as thorns, thistles, too much sun or too little warmth. It is about proudly proclaiming and displaying that we are made in ‘God's image’, mind, soul AND BODY.” - Nathan Powers
“In a topsy-turvy culture where wearing clothes is thought of as normal, and going without is seen as the behavior of exhibitionists or weirdos, an unexpected flash of flesh does for everyday experience what Shelley thought was poetry’s task: it ‘strips the veil of familiarity from the world’. Nudists . . . are the human exclamation marks that punctuate our lives.” - Robert Douglas-Fairhurst
“Frankly I have long since tired of so many in general society viewing nudists as eccentric, odd, voyeuristic, exhibitionists, sexual predators and pedophiles. We are simply normal, everyday Americans who refuse to buy into the prudish culture of body shame, extremist modesty standards and nudity as a societal taboo.” - The Emerging Nudist
“When a person starts to get outside with the sun and wind on their skin they tend to start appreciating the natural world more. This is why I use the term Naturism instead of Nudism. The practice is not just about being nude. It is getting back to a natural condition physically, psychologically and socially. Extending that perspective outside of yourself allows for an appreciation of others and the world around you.” – Cayanet

Sunday, June 24, 2012

I loved this article so much, I decided to edit out a few thoughts.
Ken
Uncomfortable in our skin: the body-image report - Eva Wiseman
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jun/10/body-image-anxiety-eva-wiseman
"Body image is a subjective experience of appearance. It's an accumulation of a lifetime's associations, neuroses and desires, projected on to our upper arms, our thighs. At five, children begin to understand other people's judgement of them. At seven they're beginning to show body dissatisfaction. As adults 90% of British women feel body-image anxiety. And it doesn't wane – many women in their 80s are still anxious about the way their bodies look which . . . can even affect their treatment in hospital, when their health choices are influenced by aesthetics. Many young women say they are too self-aware to exercise; many say they drink to feel comfortable with the way they look; 50% of girls smoke to suppress their appetite – is it too strong to suggest that these things, these anxieties, are slowly killing them? . . . [the] current "airbrushing" culture leads to huge self-esteem problems – half of all 16- to 21-year-old women would consider cosmetic surgery and in the past 15 years eating disorders have doubled. . . The long-term effects, the piling on of pressures one by one, like a dangerous Jenga tower, means women's – and increasingly men's, 69% of whom "often" wish they looked like someone else – lives are being damaged, not by the way they look but by the way they feel about the way they look. . . Rates of depression in women and girls doubled between 2000 and 2010; the more women self-objectify, the more likely they are to be depressed. . . The pressure, the girls agree, is not, in fact, to be skinny – instead it's to look sexy. "Hot." . . . until now, everybody has talked about thinness and control, rather than changing your body to attract a boy. . . Both the cosmetic surgery and the cosmeceutical industries (anti-ageing products) are growing, fast. It's these industries, along with the fashion houses, the diet companies, the food conglomerates which own the diet companies, the exercise and fitness industry, and the pharmaceutical and cosmetic surgery industries that combine, perhaps inadvertently, to create a climate in which girls and women come to feel that their bodies are not OK. . . "I do think we should be prosecuting the diet industry for false advertising. If dieting worked, you'd only have to do it once. There is evidence that diets may in fact contribute to fat storage and that, in giving a sense that food is 'dangerous', create conditions for rebellion, which eventually makes people fatter than they were to start with." (Ormand) . . . "Eating becomes a means of communication . . . We're socialised to be negative about our bodies . . . fat talk . . . everyday conversation that reinforces the 'thin ideal' and contributes to our dissatisfaction. Like: 'You look great – have you lost weight?' Or, on being offered a bun: 'Ooh, I really shouldn't.' After three minutes of fat talk there's evidence that our body dissatisfaction increases significantly. Naming this – fat talk – makes much sense to me." (Dr Phillippa Diedrichs) . . . We hate how we look because of our new, complicated visual culture, because of a fashion industry that has not adapted, a media that forensically analyses women's bodies and saturates our culture with body-change stories. Because of the rise of cognitive eating, the increasing abilities and accessibility of cosmetic surgery. Because to be feminine, today, means to hate your body."

Friday, June 15, 2012

I was definitely born to be a nudist, and am not right if I pretend otherwise. How about you?
Ken
"From my earliest memories I have wanted to be nude. Never knew I was a nudist until my first social nude experience. I was born a nudist. It is part of who I am. How about you? Born or made?" – Armadillo
"I was definitely born a nudist, it just took me many years to realize it. When I was growing up I always enjoyed being nude when I could but was always careful to be sure I was alone and always managed to avoid being caught. I daydreamed often about how it must feel to be completely nude outside and wished we lived in a rural area that might have given me a chance to try it when no one else was around. In retrospect, I think I may have been somewhat obsessed with the idea. Now that I participate in the lifestyle, my childhood yearnings make a lot more sense." - Perfect Tan
"My wife has convinced me many, many years ago that nudists are "born." She says that those that have a "need" to be naked are born with a special gene. She likes being naked, she's been a willing participant but she says that her "liking" being naked is nothing compared to my desire and need to be naked. I don't think any differently about others who state, later in life, that they are "now" nudists. That they've found this lifestyle and enjoy being nude when possible but wonder if circumstances were different or they were given an ultimatum ... they would let it go. I don't think I could or can." – FireProf
"I was born a nudist. Some of my earliest memories are being outside playing in the back yard naked. This was before I was 4 years old and all through my school years I loved being nude, I would get my butt paddled when young by my mom for going outside nude in front of the other kids. There was a little girl that lived a few houses from me that would have the same problems with her mother for going outside nude, always wondered what became of her as they moved away when I was 12. I was always nude when at home alone as my parents did not approve of being nude inside or outside the house. My later years in high school I met 2 girls that like to nude sunbathe and we would go into the woods by my house and get nude and lay in the sun and also swam in the creek that ran through it. My wife likes my being nude and since we met she has become a nudist also." - Caaptain Willie
"I believe that because young children are rarely reluctant to run around and play naked and have to be taught that society frowns on public nudity, there can be little doubt that most, if not all, people are born nudists. I think it is unfortunate that adults teach young children that there is something fundamentally wrong with being seen naked. How can that possibly adversely affect anyone? How can anyone claim to be offended by the sight of a nude person? But I digress. I am definitely a born nudist. For as long as I can remember I have been more comfortable nude than clothed." - Bill Bowser
"I think we're all born nudist and some learn body shame. Those who learn otherwise, learn to accept themselves and many become nudists for life." - Cheri

Saturday, June 9, 2012

'Nakations' offer a respite from clothes and stress
Cynthia Johnston
“DELUXE IN DEMAND - Nudists also appear to be seeking out a higher-end experience far removed from the more affordable rustic tent camping and family-oriented sing-alongs by the campfire of previous generations, experts say. Wanting to be able to have a cocktail, wanting to be able to join a petanque team or play tennis competitively, or something like that, there is a trend of people looking for more upscale resorts. Increasingly, those options are more available. As for the next nude travel frontier, there is no shortage of ideas for vacations nudists describe as a significant source of stress relief for them as they leave societal norms and expectations behind.”
Any ideas about what naturists may want in the future? Sounds like an interesting business opportunity to me.
Ken

“When I was a kid here in Utah we had a public pool and after swim team or anytime really we were always hanging out in the shower room naked. There were no dividers in the shower and it was all good. We would even have towel fights or other goofing off. Today it is a no go. I have had kids in gym and sports and no one showers in front of each other. It is a bit bizarre with how the world has progressed in other areas and the rise of a more predominant progressive mind set. And yet I am sure none of my kids have showered or maybe even seen the same gender naked. I think it is pretty ridiculous and so do all my friends and few of them are naturist or nudists. So the question is are they going to be freaked out or bothered if they ever see anyone shower naked or heaven forbid a nudist or freehiker. It feels like we have done a disservice to future generations.” – Threadsfree
“I use our local gym here in Chico, California . . . My gym has a men's-only steam room, dry sauna, and jacuzzi, and large group shower in one room. I am astounded at the silliness of modern-day youth. I am 48 and grew up showering everyday in high school, required of course, with the gym teacher standing there handing out towels and making sure you showered and returned them. . . I see young men practically do gymnastics in their efforts to change their clothes without their bodies being seen. I saw a guy in the Jacuzzi with shirt and shorts. I see guys shower in shirt and shorts. I see guys who have worn boxers into the shower and then act embarrassed by their boxers "showing" so they hold a towel tightly around their midsection to "hide" their boxers. What the hell is life coming to in this country? I am honestly dismayed that this kind of behavior can even exist. Those of us who are simply being ourselves living in reality, natural, and comfortable, unwilling to pretend that we need to "hide" for some reason, are a dying species. I fear, honestly I fear, for the next generation when those of us over forty are dead and no one even remembers what body freedom is about. It's not just about body freedom. It's about freedom of loving, of believing things, of expressing one's feelings, of being an individual. From my point of view, these young people are growing so distant from reality on so many levels that they are becoming like the electronics they worship. . . I am interested in making a difference if there is anything we all think we could actually do to turn the tide back to a nature-based reality.” - Brian Anthony Kraemer

About Me

I'm Kenfreehiker & my beautiful/fun wife is PJ. We travel frequently with work, but maintain our home at Olive Dell Ranch (Colton, CA).
We’ve visited over 20 naturist resorts, 7 beaches, and 5 hot springs, have taken two nude boating trips in Southern Utah, have freehiked many places, and enjoy naturist home activities and parties.
We've lived for at Glen Eden in Corona CA. We have been board members at Olive Dell Ranch, where we call home, and enjoy creating Dellymaze Park and organizing the Bare Burro 5k.
One of our favorate pastimes is freehiking. For organized the Freehiking Utah Group that hiked at least twice a month. We now do most of our nude freeniking in California, where we organized the FreehikingCA group.
We are also the founders and moderators of a naturist travel club called "Skinny Trippers" that plans naturist travels and activities, gets together when possible, and then writes Skinny Reports (often with group photos) which are posted on our egroup – http://groups.google.com/group/skinnytrippers . (All are welcome to join this site.)
PJ and I love Christ, each other, our friends, and being naturists.